This document provides some great insight on the designs decorating our Sanctuary. Thank you for your interest.

[exerpt from manuscript by Willemina's daughter Eveline]

First Congregational Church
2501 Harrison Street
Oakland, California

The Administratrix of the Church, Evelyn M. Orr, kindly
sent: a book entitled, "A Brief History of the First Congregational
Church" which was published in commemoration of their
Centennial Year in 1960. It contains interesting information
on the history of the church's early memorial windows. She
also writes: "we were delighted to receive your letter regarding
the stained glass windows in our church. We do not have any
information regarding the artist of these so we are pleased to
learn or her."

A number of windows had been installed in the church
prior to those designed by my mother and are described in the
commemorative booklet. The first windows designed by my
mother were done in 1943. They are the Archangel Michael,
representing his strife against the forces of evil and the
Archangel Gabriel who is the bearer of good tidings. These
two windows are high above the arches at the sides of the
pulpit platform.

In 1944, my mother designed the following windows. In
the entrance, or Narthex of the church, the window depicting
Martha is found on the right landing. The window depicting
Mary is on the left, on the landing of the stairs to the balcony.
Martha is shown with a basket of fruit and a spinning wheel
symbolic of her household duties while Mary, her sister, is
holding the book of Scriptures as an indication of her devotion
to the spiritual life. The medallion below depicts the jar
of precious ointment, brought to anoint the feet of Christ.
On the right, or north clerestory wall, are the four
windows depicting Isaiah, Luke (30a), The Lord, and Mathew (30b).
On the left, or south clerestory wall, we find Moses (30c),
nearest the entrance, and the next window depicting St. Mark
(30d), then Jesus and the children, and St. John (30e).

In the Gallery, the windows represent the Twelve Apostles.
From north to south, they are in the following order: Matthias,
Jude, Simon, Philip, Thomas, John. Then Peter, Andrew, Bartholomew,
James Major, Mathew, James the Lesser. 0f these twelve
my mother's records contain photographs of her designs for
Matthias, Jude, Simon. Peter, and James Major. Mr. Norbert
Graves, a fellow artist at Cummings Studio, told me that my
mother drew the cartoons for all twelve of these windows.

All images and content from "Willemina E. A. M. Ogterop" by Eveline Ogterop Krimgold are used by permission of the author. Copyright 2013, First Congregational Church of Oakland